Extra aid fails to win over some schools
Some Chinese-medium schools have predicted a bleak future despite extra resources promised yesterday by the Government.
Secretary of Education and Manpower Joseph Wong Wing-ping announced a package of measures to help schools teaching in Chinese from September.
He said those schools would be given priority in setting up multi-media learning centres and applying for extra funding from the Language Fund.
Additional teachers and grants for employing clerical staff and buying equipment would also be offered as part of the multi-million-dollar package.
Mr Wong said all government schools would have to teach civic education in Chinese from September.
But St Antonius Girls' College, one of the six which lost its appeal to teach in English, said it would have a difficult time adjusting.
Vice-principal Yau Hing-wah said: 'Some teachers won't be familiar with teaching in Chinese. They were trained in Canada and elsewhere to teach in English.
'If worst comes to worst, the principals would have to step in to help.' He said the school planned to seek parent and student input and then talk to a lawyer to see what steps it could take to continue teaching in English.
Salesian School vice-director Father Peter Ng Dor-lok said parents and students would have a hard time accepting the decision.
He said the school would try to hire more native-English speaking teachers in the hope of being allowed to return to English-medium instruction after a review in three years.
Mervyn Cheung Man-ping, chairman of the Hong Kong Education Policy Concern Organisation, said he welcomed the new measures but was angry that the Government had not made any mention of teacher training.
WINNERS AND LOSERS ENGLISH STAYS Carmel Secondary School, Ho Man Tin Cheung Sha Wan Catholic Secondary School, Cheung Sha Wan Christian Alliance Cheng Wing Gee College, Tai Wai Jockey Club Ti-I College, Sha Tin Law Ting Pong Secondary School, Tai Po Madam Lau Kam Lung Secondary School of Miu Fat Buddhist Monastery, Tuen Mun Maryknoll Fathers' School, Kwun Tong Our Lady's College, Wong Tai Sin Pope Paul VI College, Kwai Chung Shung Tak Catholic English College, Ping Shan STFA Lee Shau Kee College, Kwai Chung Saint Louis School, Sai Ying Pun St Stephen's College, Stanley Tak Nga Secondary School, Yau Yat Tsuen ENGLISH GOES Queen Maud Secondary School, Tseung Kwan O Buddhist Ma Kam Chan Memorial English Secondary School, Fanling United Christian College, Shamshuipo St Francis Xavier's School, Tsuen Wan Salesian English School, Shau Kei Wan St Antonius Girls' College, Yau Tong
